One of the things that I enjoy about travelling is that I get to meet some interesting people. This week in Philadelphia has been no exception. I am facilitating a global training programme for a really interesting group of senior executives.  Yesterday I had dinner with a Chief Financial Officer from Canada named Mark, who as it turned out is a Christian.  We had a great discussion during which he told me a story about Tolkien & CS Lewis. Mark told me that Tolkien once asked Lewis What is that differentiates Christianity from all other faith systems? Without pausing for thought CS Lewis replied Grace! I thought about CS Lewis answer, grace is indeed the X-Factor it is the sine qua non of Christianity. 

I think it may have been Philip Yancey in his book What s so Amazing about Grace that said grace is the last unspoilt word.   It s a great word isn t it? 

But I wonder how does the word grace make you feel?  Think about it.  Think about how the word makes you feel? 

 What is your emotional response? (e.g. I feel happy, sad, anxious, light, frustrated or the like.)

 What relevance does the word have for you in your walk with God?

 How does it compare and contrast in your mind to the word Law?

 In view of the conclusions you have arrived at, what do you feel at this point?

  What is your intuitive response to God?

A while ago I was away on a retreat [Yes grace people still pray] whilst I was walking in the grounds of the retreat centre the Lord spoke to about this wonderful word grace.   Hitherto I had always thought of grace as being the unmerited favour of God [and I still do] but when the Lord spoke to me that afternoon he said to me I have set you aside in order to fulfil the G.R.A.C.E. Co-Mission.   I smiled because, as a former Pentecostal, I knew all about The Great Commission, so called.  The Lord knew that He had my attention and continued, From now on, grace is an acronym for you and it means s Ridiculous Agape Captivating Everyone  

I was enchanted, amazing grace how sweet the sound.  Grace really is the X-Factor.  What other faith-system has a God who died for them? What other faith system could conceive of a shepherd that dies for his sheep instead of sheep that die for the shepherd? What other faith-system could grasp the idea of a God of grace.

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